Monday, September 14, 2009

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS

Written and directed by Cristian Mungiu

Anamaria Marinca
Laura Vasiliu
Vlad Ivanov
Alexandru Potocean

Premiere date: May 17, 2007 (Cannes Film Festival)
R

In a country where abortion is outlawed, a young college student, Gabita, finds herself in big trouble. Unsure what to do, she turns to her roommate, Otilia, for help. On the day on which the film takes place, the pair connects with a black market doctor, Bebe, in order to take care of Gabita’s pregnancy - but, of course, it isn’t that simple. The resulting 24 hours reveals a harrowing descent into a world in which the possibility of tragedy lurks around every corner.

Director Mungiu’s decision to film every scene in a hyper-documentary style, with long, unbroken takes, ratchets up the tension to nearly unbearable proportions. Adding even greater drama is his decision to focus on the friend, not the victim. Marinca’s face, filmed in unflinching close-ups, expresses the impossibly complex flood of emotions that nag her throughout the day.

Cannes Film Festival
Palme d'Or
FIPRESCI Prize
Cinema Prize of the French National Education System

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